This is Beirut

UK Re-Establishing Full Syria Ties, Lammy Says During Visit in Damascus

This is Beirut, 05/07 19:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

David Lammy Ahmad al-Sharaa United Kingdom Syria

The UK's top diplomat, David Lammy, met Syria's leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Damascus on Saturday, the Syrian presidency said, in his first visit since longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in December. During the visit, Lammy announced that the UK is re-establishing full diplomatic ties with Syria following Assad’s ...

Syria Battles Fierce Wildfires in Latakia for Third Day as Turkey Sends Assistance

This is Beirut, 05/07 16:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Latakia Syria Forest fires

Syrian emergency workers were battling forest fires raging in the coastal province of Latakia on Saturday for a third day in tough conditions as neighboring Turkey sent assistance. An AFP correspondent saw strong winds fanning the flames in forest areas and farmland in Qastal Maaf, around a dozen kilometers (eight miles) from the Turkish border, ...

Lebanese Army Arrests 33 Syrians for Illegal Crossing and Robbery

This is Beirut, 04/07 21:30 - Reading : less than a minute

Lebanon Syria Lebanese Army Batroun Robbery gang

The Lebanese Armed Forces arrested 31 Syrian nationals on Friday for illegally entering Lebanese territory, and two others for forming an armed robbery gang. According to the statement issued by the Lebanese Army Command Directorate, the 31 Syrian nationals were attempting to enter Lebanon via the Madfoun-Batroun checkpoint. A patrol from the ...

Syrian Authorities Evacuate Citizens Amid Major Forest Fires

This is Beirut, 04/07 21:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Syria Wildfires Latakia

Syrian rescuers were evacuating residential areas in the coastal Latakia province because of major forest fires, authorities said on Friday. Fires have been spreading across large parts of Syria, particularly the coast, for several days, with firefighters struggling to control them due to strong winds and an intense drought. Abdulkafi Kayyal, ...

Syria Ready to Work With US to Return to 1974 Disengagement Deal With Israel

This is Beirut, 04/07 17:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Israel USA United Nations Damascus New York Syria

Syria said on Friday it was willing to cooperate with the United States to reimplement the 1974 disengagement agreement with Israel, which created a UN-patrolled buffer zone separating the two countries' forces. In a statement after a phone call with his US counterpart Marco Rubio, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani expressed Damascus's ...

Syria State Media Says Talk of Peace Deal with Israel 'Premature'

This is Beirut, 02/07 22:09 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Israel Syria Lebanon

Syrian state media reported Wednesday that statements on signing a peace agreement with Israel were "premature," days after Israel said it was interested in striking normalization agreements with Syria and neighboring Lebanon. "Statements concerning signing a peace agreement with the Israeli occupation at this time are considered ...

Lebanon’s Sunni Leadership's Void Post-Hariri

Bassam Abou Zeid, 02/07 15:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Syria Lebanon Mufti Sunnis Ahmad al-Sharaa Abdel Latif Derian

Lebanon’s Sunni Mufti, Sheikh Abdel Latif Derian, is set to travel to Syria this Saturday, leading a delegation from Dar al-Fatwa to meet Syrian President Ahmad el-Chareh. This visit follows the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, which had kept Syria’s Alawite minority in power for decades. In contrast, Chareh has restored ...

Israel Captures Iran-Linked Militant Cell in Southern Syria

This is Beirut, 02/07 14:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Syria Israel Iran

Israel's military said on Wednesday it had apprehended members of an Iranian-backed "terrorist cell" in southern Syria, where state TV reported three were arrested by Israeli troops. Since the December overthrow of Syria's longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes, primarily on military sites, and sent troops ...

Washington Moves Toward Easing Economic Pressure on Syria

Liliane Mokbel, 02/07 10:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Syria Donald Trump Sanctions

In a move that could signal a turning point in Washington-Damascus relations, United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order on June 30, 2025, partially lifting economic sanctions against Syria. These measures, in place for more than two decades, had severely isolated the Syrian economy and disrupted the functioning of most public ...

LAF Arrests 67 Syrians for Illegal Entry

This is Beirut, 01/07 16:25 - Reading : less than a minute

Lebanese Army lebanon Syria Beqaa Crossings Border

The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) announced on Tuesday that army units arrested 67 Syrians over the past week for illegally crossing into Lebanese territory. In a statement, the Army Command said the arrests were made during security operations in the Beqaa region along the Lebanese-Syrian border. The measures, which include regular patrols and ...

FM Rajji Says Syria Is Ready to Demarcate Its Borders with Lebanon

This is Beirut, 01/07 12:35 - Reading : less than a minute

Lebanon Syria Demarcation Border United States Rajji

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji told Sky News Arabia on Tuesday that the Syrian administration was ready to demarcate and consolidate its border with Lebanon. This comprehensive step comes in light of the United States’ decision to lift its sanctions on Syria, a move described by Rajji as “a positive step that would have ...

Disarming Hezbollah Is Here, Lebanon’s Peace with Israel Is Next

Hussain Abdul-Hussain, 01/07 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Syria Iran Lebanon Hezbollah United States

Now that the leaders of Lebanon are certain that Israel and America would not shy away from using force against Iran when need be, and now that they are sure that the bark of China and Russia in the Middle East is louder than their bite, Beirut is finally moving on Hezbollah’s arms. Lebanon’s normalization with Israel will come next. Druze ...

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